Working to insure that all caregivers receive the respite and support they need.

Celebrate National Family Caregivers Month

Caregiver Action Network, which sets the theme for National Family Caregivers Month, recognizes the challenges family caregivers face when their loved ones need round the clock care. National Family Caregivers Month is a time to celebrate family, raise awareness of family caregiver issues and increase support for family caregivers. Click here for the theme, background on National Family Caregivers Month and a sample proclamation for state and local governments.

NYSCRC Staff was invited to participate in two Train the Trainer modules which are part of a Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC) initiative targeting family caregivers by providing opportunities for support training. Our own
Sharon Cackett attended The
Positive Adult Development curriculum and the
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) courses which are evidence based programs developed by researchers at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. The program will be introduced to western New York and New York City in years two and three of the initiative.

Missouri Family to Family, which is housed within Missouri's University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Services (UCEDD) at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Institute for Human Development, in collaboration with the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center, developed Charting the LifeCourse Respite materials that were released at the National Lifespan Respite Conference. The materials include a Respite guide book, portfolio and other tools meant to help family caregivers caring for anyone of any age or disability and those who support them create a plan to access respite services within and outside the formal services system.

The purposes are to provide:

information on the importance of respite for the well-being of the family caregiver and all family members;

tools for thinking about and planning for respite; and

additional resources for finding informal respite in the community.

Information on how to use the Charting the LifeCourse respite materials can be found in this Power Point Presentation of Jane St. John, Community Inclusion Specialist and Field Research Specialist for the Missouri Family to Family team at the UMKC-Institute for Human Development at the 2017 ARCH National Lifespan Respite Conference. Stay tuned for additional training opportunities on how to best use the tools.

Trends in 1115 Waivers Impacting Seniors and People with Disabilities - National Council on Healthy Aging (NCOA) and Disability and Aging Collaborative, October 13, 2017

NCOA and the Disability & Aging Collaborative host webinars to help state advocates avoid cuts to home and community-based services and encourage the adoption of the Affordable Care Act options for new long-term services and supports. In October, Trends in 1115 Waivers Impacting Seniors and People with Disabilities was presented by Judy Solomon,Vice President for Health Policy Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and David Machledt, Ph.D.,Policy Analyst, National Health Law Program. Access the archived webinar.

Employer Tools to Support Working Caregivers

Northeast Business Group on Health

Almost 1 in 6 employees in the U.S. care for parents, siblings, children, relatives, or friends. Half of the current working caregivers are Millennials and GenXers. The numbers are projected to grow, with more people needing care than there will be available caregivers. Caregiving benefits can be powerful retention tools for employers, and supporting working caregivers need not be expensive. Many employers still need to learn how to support their working caregivers. Northeast Business Group on Health has partnered with AARP to create a three-pronged approach to help educate employers. Access the free toolkit

Caregiving in the LGBT Community:A Guide to Engaging and Supporting LGBT Caregivers through Programming

SAGE, September 2017

Get an overview of caregiving in the LGBT community, ideas, lessons learned, and best practices to expanding programming for LGBT caregivers and those who care for LGBT older adults. The guide is also applicable for all caregivers and those they serve. Included is a list of resources for service providers and for caregivers.

This report provides an in-depth examination of the changes taking place in Medicaid programs across the country as Congress continues to debate major ACA repeal and replace legislation. The findings are drawn from the 17th annual budget survey of Medicaid officials in all 50 states and the District of Columbia conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) and Health Management Associates (HMA), in collaboration with the National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD). Policies in place in state Medicaid programs in FY 2017 and policy changes implemented or planned for FY 2018 are highlighted. Key findings show that despite uncertainty about federal legislative changes, many states were continuing efforts to expand managed care, move ahead with payment and delivery system reforms, increase provider payment rates, and expand benefits as well as community-based long-term services and supports.